When decoding a PDU, a data stack is used to record the number of bits which have still to be decoded.

摘要

In the field of data communications, it is desirable to track bits of a bit sequence remaining to be decoded by a decoder. A method of decoding the bit sequence that corresponds to a protocol data unit (PDU) comprises reading-in a bit sequence and processing the bit sequence. In order to maintain a record of the bits remaining to be processed, a data stack is used during decoding of the bit sequence. Also disclosed is a "PDU specification language toolkit" which includes a compiler for generating machine executable code to perform decoding of PDUs, The compiler uses a stack tracking library when generating the machine executable code, the stack tracking library comprising code implementing a set of operations to manipulate a stack for tracking sizes / lengths of PDUs being decoded.